THEIE NATURE AND EFFECTS. 19 



nature of these changes, dissections were made both on 

 the human subject and on the lower animals of indi- 

 viduals that had died of snake-bite ; also incisions were 

 made into the tissues at the place where snakes had 

 titten at various intervals after the bite. The result of 

 these observations is to show that directly after the 

 poison is injected into the tissue its vessels become 

 enlarged and gorged with blood, effusion is poured out 

 immediately; and as the engorgement and stngnntion 

 of blood increase the effusion becomes more blood-like, 

 from its containing more of the contents of the vessels. 

 Now, these processes are singularly rapid in occurring. 

 In an animal that only lived thirty seconds after the 

 injection of the poison, a well-marked circle of vascular 

 injection was found at the site of the poison. In 

 another case, in one minute sufficient effusion hud been 

 poured out to attract the attention of a casual observer. 

 Should the animal recover from the constitutional 

 effects of the poison, the result of these local cliaDges 

 will be profuse suppuration and sloughing of the parts 

 in which the poison was deposited. Now, simple 

 effusion of blood is very rarely followed by suppnraiion. 

 In scurvy and allied diseases, and after injuries, we con- 

 stantly see effusions of blood rapidly absorbed as 

 recovery proceeds. Again, effusion of blood is seldcm 

 attended by pain. Moreover, by using solutions of 

 cobra-poison of different strengths any degree of local 

 mischief can be produced — from an engorgement and 



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